A broken Hero
by Lizardwriter22
Summary: Jesse...wasn't okay. He was far from it actually, his friends are concerned but he cant worry them. Besides he was a leader, and leaders had to be strong. I mean he'll be fine...right?
1. Lonely nights and starry sky's

It was 4 o'clock in the morning and Jesse felt like total crap.

Okay, well maybe that was a bit of a over exaggeration. He had most definitely felt worse over the last few years.d But that didn't stop him from feeling any better than he did now.

He should be asleep, he knew this. Leaders need their sleep after all, a tired leader isn't a good one. But he just couldn't, rather it be the amount of paperwork he had to do or the nightmares that haunted him each time he closed his eyes but his body and mind physically refused to rest.

Normally during these nights he would have company, Radar his bubbly assistant would stay up with him as long as he could before passing out at one of the desks. Or Jack who was also a known insomniac, stayed up with him telling him stories to make the paperwork seem less boring.

But today, he was alone.

His friends, Lukas, Axel and Olivia each had their own things to attend too, and Petra was still off adventuring and exploring the world. Though she did write to him from time to time. Rader had some family thing and Jack and Nurm was off on another adventure or something.

As for the Old Order, last he heard of them they were trying to make amends with each other. And Ivor was apparently off taking a "Vacation" with Harper.

As for him, good ol' boring town leader _Jesse,_ he was stuck wide awake doing paperwork that seemed to grow with each paper he completed.

With a groan he slammed his head on the desk, he missed his friends. And he wanted nothing more than to go on another adventure with them just like old times….but he couldn't.

He was a leader, he had work to do. And work was more important than running off and playing "Hero".

Sitting up and rubbing the now sore spot on his forehead from where he had smacked it on the desk he stood up and stretched. He grunted as he felt his back pop, that what he got for sitting hunched over at a desk for hours.

Deciding to try and at least get a few hours of sleep, he headed to his bedroom. Opening his door and walking into his room he collapsed onto his bed and lazily pulled the pink comforter over him.

He glanced at the clock watching at the minutes tik down, he guessed if he fell asleep now he would atleast get around 3 or 4 hours of sleep which was better than nothing.

With a yawn Jesse finally allowed his eyes to close, sleep overtook him quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Time skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesse gasped and swallowed back the scream that rose in his throat, sitting up quickly he grasped his chest as though he feared his heart would beat out of his chest.

He took a few moments to calm his breathing and to ride his mind of the horrible images this nights nightmare had put into his mind.

After he had calmed down, he glanced at his clock.

 **5:32**

With a groan Jesse flopped back onto his bed, why did he even try?

Decided that he would rather not try and sleep again in risk of another nightmare, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Rubbing his eyes to clear them of the sleep that still lingered.

He made his way out of his room walking the endless corridors. By now he was just wondering, he didn't want to go back to his desk and he couldn't think of anything else to do so he decided to step outside.

He breathed in the fresh air as he stepped outside into the cold night soon to be morning. Glancing up at the night sky he was surprised to find there to still be stars out.

Leaning against the wall, he stared up at the night sky a small smile making its way upon his face despite the exhausting.

He had always liked the night sky, despite the danger that it brought. Jesse didn't know why but he suddenly felt like crying.

Maybe it was because he was reminded of all the times him and the others would sleep on top of the tree house and look up at the stars. Or the times they had slept under the night sky during their many adventures. Or how Ivor had taught him all of the constontialtions.

Either way Jesse still felt his eyes well up and eventually tears falling from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. He reached up and covered his mouth with his hand.

 _God_ this sucked, why did he had to get emotional now? Over a stupid night sky.

Maybe it was just because he was tired….

He must have stayed like that for at least another thirty minutes, just quietly crying outside of his building. By the time he finally stopped the sun he risen.

Wiping his eyes, he stepped back inside.

He needed coffee….


	2. Morning routine and surprises

"Jesse are you even listening?"

Jesse quickly snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his name. Looking up from where he had been previously staring at the ground he found Stacy and Stampy to both be looking at him strangely.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah i'm listening"

The two exchanged a glance before Stacy crossed her arms "Oh really? Then what did I just say?"

Jesse frowned as he frantically searched his mind to remember exactly what the girl had said, he had only been half listening so he only remembered a few small details of the subject.

"Umm..something about needing to build new houses?"

Stacy smirked at him "Wroong" she singsonged "So you weren't listening!"

Jesse signed slightly sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck "Heh, yeah..you got me.."

Stacy gave him a look "Wanna tell us what's go you so distracted?"

Jesse simply shrugged his shoulders, in all honesty he had drifted off slightly. His mind becoming distracted and hazy from lack of sleep and ..other things.

"I..um just didn't get a lot of sleep last night.."

Stacy gave a concerned look " Why not?" she suddenly narrowed her eyes "You haven't been pulling all nighters again have you? It not good for you and you know that!"

Jesse quickly put up his hands "No! No! It not that! I just..have been having some trouble sleeping lately that's all."

Stacy relaxed slightly "Oh, well that's not good either. You need sleep, it's bad for you to miss out on it..and now that I look at you...you look exhausted.."

To be honest he felt exhausted, he ran a hand through his hair "I'm fine guys, i'm sure its just stress"

"Have you tried drinking warm milk to help you sleep?" Stampy chimed in "That's always helps me."

Jesse gave him a small smile "I'll.. give it a try."

Stacy nodded her head "Good, now where were we..?"

She turned to look at the small clipboard that would normally be held by his assist Rader, but since he was a way Stacy had offered to help with the usual morning routine Stampy decided to tag along.

"We just finished talking with the construction builders about the damage that creeper did when it snuck into the town..now we just have to see to Max about that weird sculpture in the front of his house..we keep getting complains about it." Stacy said looking up as Jesse when she was finished.

Jesse smiled "Sounds good, why don't you guys go on ahead? I'll finish up here."

Stacy and Stampy shared a look "Are you sure?" Stacy asked.

Jesse shrugged his shoulders, "Sure" he reached over and plucked the clipboard from Stacy's hands "Its nothing I can't handle, thanks again for helping me out."

Stacy smiled at him "Of course Jesse, it's the least we can do"

Jesse smiled as he watched the two of them walk away, chuckling softly when Stampy frantically waved bye to him the whole time. When at last they turned the corner and out of sight, Jesse sighed. Rubbing at his tired eyes.

He made his way to the small house where the strange sculpture sat, it was big and clunky and blocked the view of others and they had received complaints about it...a lot of complaints.

Stepping up the stairs to the front door, he knocked and waited for few minutes..before he knocked again.

"Hello? Is anyone home?"

Nothing, he sighed he would just have to come back tomorrow.

He glanced at the clipboard, now all he had to do was head back to the town hall and do more paperwork.

Great.

He made his way back to where his dreaded desk awaited, ha waved hello to a few people who were setting up shop for the day.

He was passing a small patch of shrub that came up to about his waist, when it suddenly started to rustle. He tensed and out of instinct reached for his sword..but he didn't have one. Instead he opted for raising his arms to defend himself

Years of past fights flashed in front of his minds as every part of his screamed at him to be ready to fight some horrible monster that was about to pop out of the shrub.

With a sudden flash of movement, something quickly jumped out of the shrub. Jesse cried out in surprise at he stumbled back, landing on his backside.

He ready himself to fight with whatever monstrosity that ad just jumped out of the shrub when he got sight of what it was.

A chicken, a stray chicken that must have belonged to one of the farmers.

It glanced at him before ruffling its feathers and walking away. Leaving Jesse nearly breathless on the ground.

Jesse quickly stood up nervously chuckling at himself, he placed a hand over his quickly beating heart.

A chicken, it was just a chicken. Nothing to be afraid of.

Brushing himself off he made way to turn back to his previous path before he stopped, he really didn't want to go back to his lonely desk and finish more paperwork.

Deciding to take a complete 180 and walk in the opposite direction, he made his way instead to the entrance of the town, hopping that a nice long walk would better clear his mind.

He sure hoped so.


End file.
